For the forth of July this year the girls and I went with my family to the Cabin.  Dave had to work so he wasn't able to come with us.  It was a lot of fun and here are some of the things we did.  We went to the parade on Saturday morning.  It was a really good parade.  At times it was a little too loud and the girls didn't like it, but all in all they had a really good time.  Emmabelle spent most of it in hiding.  She hid behind the stroller and watched it from there.  Avery liked the floats that handed out candy, but got upset because she wasn't fast enough to get it. The weather was great.  I was so glad we weren't in Safford where it was high ninetys to low hundreds.

Waiting for the parade to arrive.

The anticipation is too much.

Avery with Grandma Mortensen

Nicole, Clint, and Marshall

Steve Owens, Lori, and Emmabelle in hiding

Waiting for the candy.

Grandma coaxed her out.

The coolest float ever.  Wait for it...

Stand Up for the Constitution.

On Monday the fifth we went to Reservation Lake.  It was lots of fun except we all forgot sunscreen and got a little toasted.

She loved the water, but wasn't so fond of the wind.

I was really proud of Avery on Sunday she set a really good example for all of us.  She really wanted to go to primary so my Mom and I stayed so that she could go to primary.  I just couldn't justify telling her she couldn't go that is where she should be and she did great.  She went all by herself and stayed the whole time.  I guess I am doing something right, or maybe I should give the credit to primary.

Potty trained kid

We are now officially a diaper free home.  Emmabelle took the leap out of diapers.  For the longest time I wasn't sure it was going to be very easy to potty train her.  She didn't want to sit on the potty seat.  So we bought a small pool for the kids and told Emmabelle that she couldn't pee in the pool.  Of course she did a couple of times, but then she caught on and started to tell us that she needed to go to the bathroom.  I would get her out and say lets go sit on the potty.  She didn't want to so being outside and in a swim suit I just told her to pee on the ground.  After a couple times of being successful by getting out of the pool and peeing on the ground I said that is it if you can do this you can pee in the potty.  I gave away most of the diapers and put her in big girl panties.  Gummy bears where her treat and that was all it took.  She has only had a couple of accidents.  It was a little more difficult to get her to poop on the potty, but after bribing her with makeup like Avery's which was really just lip gloss, she was successful.  It ended up being a lot easier than I thought and I am so glad to get rid of that expense.

The Park

So I love living in Arizona.  It's home, but the summers are a killer.  Everyday is the same conversation.  Mom can you take us to the park.  No, it is too hot I don't want to go to the park.  Lame Mom I know, but I hate being out in the heat and sweating.  Besides they are out there two minutes and are hot and need a drink and want to go in so why go to all the trouble in the first place.  The weather is finally starting to change now and we have ventured to the park more frequently which makes the kids happy.  Only problem is even though it isn't as hot outside amd you can stand to be out there the sun still makes it next to impossible to play on any of the slides.  These park planners weren't very good at planning.  The shade is very limited and all the toys and swings are in the sun.  I can't wait for the autumn days to get here. 

The Kid Likes Church

January 27,2010

Yesterday when we were getting ready for the morning Emmabelle picked out a skirt outfit to wear. This isn't unusual she likes to wear dresses and skirts. The only thing that was different yesterday was as we were putting it on she kept repeating a word. It took me a while to figure it out, she was trying to tell me she wanted to go to church. I explained that it wasn't Sunday and that we weren't going to church today. She was so sad. She started whining and gave me an almost real, fake cry. She is getting pretty good at the fake crying, but yesterday it was on the verge of a real cry.

What I want to be when I grow up.

January 27, 2010

When having conversations with Avery about what she wants to be when she grows up she usually says she wants to be a mommy. Last night on the way home from a birthday party we were talking about it again. Deven the little boy I watch was saying that he wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up. Avery at first gave her normal answer by saying she wanted to be a mom when she grows up, but soon after she said: “When I grow up I want to be allergic.” She said it like it was something so awesome. As I was laughing I asked her what she wanted to be allergic to and she replied without missing a beat “College” By then I was laughing so hard. I didn't realize that was a hereditary trait and man is she in trouble because she gets it from both sides.

Who's baby are you?

January 27, 2010

Lately we have been asking Emmabelle the question: “Who's baby are you, mommy's or daddy's?” Her response without fail has been: “Avery's baby.” I guess if someone tries really hard to be your mommy all day long it eventually rubs off. Avery mothers Emmabelle so much it honestly drives me crazy. I constantly have to remind her that she is her sister and a kid not the mommy.

Loir Boots

January 2010

Emmabelle has become quite attached to a pair of pink boots that we had handed down to us. She always wants to wear them when we go anywhere. She has a very special name for them also. She doesn't just ask to wear her boots she asks to wear her Lodi (Lori) boots. She knows that they are boots just like her Aunt Lori wears. She loves her boots and she loves her Aunt Lori.

Park Progress

January 2010

Avery is a very cautious girl. She doesn't like to try new things and isn't easily persuaded to do so. The last few times we went to the park she has gotten an adventurous bone in her that I have no idea where it came from. She started with climbing one of the rock walls that puts you up to a slide platform. She didn't take the stairs very uncharacteristic of her. Then she decided to go down one of the bigger slides. She is very comfortable with the little slide, but you couldn't even get her to slide down a big slide while holding her hand. All she wanted was you to catch her at the bottom. This might not sound like anything big, but it was huge for us. We have also been trying to get her to go down the cork screw slide but she would have nothing of it. Today after she saw Emmabelle go down by herself she wanted to give it a try. She even climbed the ladder to the slide which isn't a standard ladder, it curves up to the platform so you have to climb the curve. I was a little nervous about this one, but she didn't even hesitate. Very proud moment for me.